Speed-changing and clutch mechanism for motor-vehicles.



No. 725,482. PATENTEDA'PR. 14,1903. I r

L. RENAULT.

SPEED CHANGING AND CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

'APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 29, 1901.

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PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

L. RENAULT. SPEED CHANGING AND CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1901.

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N0 MODEL.

No. 725,482. PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

v L. RENAULT. SPEED CHANGING AND CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1901.

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No. 725,482. PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

L. RENAULT.

SPEED CHANGING AND CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1901. A

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, PATENTED APR.'14,1903. L. RENAULT.

SPEED CHANGING AND CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VE HIGLES APPLIGATI'ONFILED NOV. 29, 1901.

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I L. RENAULT. SPEED CHANGING AND CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 29, 1901.

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No. 72 5 482. PATENTED APR. 14, 1903. A

L. RENAULT.

SPEED CHANGING AND CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1901.

7 SHEBTS-SHEET 7.

' N By A770/7/V6KS UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

LOUIS RENAULT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

SPEED-CHANGING AND CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,482, dated April14, 1903.

Application filed November 29, 1901. Serial No. 84,133. (No model.)

To 011% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Louis RENAULT, a citizen of the Republic, of France,and a resident of Paris, France, have invented certain new andusefulImprovements in Speed-Changing and Clutch Mechanism for Motor-Vehicles,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

Thisinvention consists of a speed-changing mechanism for motor-vehicles,which mechanism is represented, by way of example, in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation of the mechanism. Figs.2 and 3 are cross-sections through the same. Figs. 4 and 5 arerespectively a .plan view and a longitudinal section through themechanism. Fig. 6 is a cross section through the mechanism upon the axisof the eccentric-shaft of the triple pinion, and Fig. 7 is adiagrammatic view showing in crosssection the relative arrangement ofthe shafts and gear-wheels. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the Oardanjoint, the casing of the latter being cut away on the line A B of Fig.10. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the device, taken in the plane ofthe line C D of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is an end view of the Gardan jointlooking from the right of Fig. 8 and with the casing in section on theline E F of said Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on the line G Hof Fig. 8. Fig. 12 is an elevation of the grooved shaft drawn on anenlarged scale and in a reversed position to that shown in Fig. 5 inorder to clearly illustrate the helicoidal parts of the groove, and Fig.13 is a top plan view of the grooved shaft shown by Fig. 12.

Upon the shaft a of the motor, Figs. 4 and 5, is rigidly fixed thefly-wheel 1), within which fits a friction-cone c, which is connected bymeans of a square sleeve to a shaft 01 and maintained in engagement by aspiral spring 6, bearing upon a cup f and exerting a thrust upon a ball9, which serves as a pivot and which may be lubricated by means of oilintroduced into the lubricating-hole h.

The shaft (1 is formed with a square portion upon which the doublepinion '11 is adapted to slide freely. This pinion is provided withgears of different diameters, and in one of .its extremities are formednotches or grooves for the engagement of a fork 7', movably mountedon'the shaft k, by means of which fork it may be displaced upon theshaft (1.

The shaft 7c is formed with a groove Z, presenting successively acircular form for a quarter of a circumference, a helicoidal form forhalf a circumference, then again a circuits other extremity is mountedloose a similar cam 11, in which notches are formed, Fig. 3. Beside thecam n is fixed a ring 0, also provided with notches, which is keyed uponthe shaft is, but in such a manner as to be capable of sliding upon it.Between the cam n and the ring 0 is a spring 19, maintaining these twoparts separated in such a manner that the cam 41 remains loose upon theshaft k.

The fork j, Fig. 5, is adapted to slide, but not to rotate upon itself,upon a tube q, provided with a small projection 1", which enters thehelicoidal groove Z of the shaft 10.

Upon the extremity of the shaft dis mounted loose a large pinion 5,Figs. 1, 4, and 5, pro-. vided upon its side adjacent to the pinion,with notches by means of which the two pinions may be rigidly connectedone with the other when occupying a certain position. The pinion sisrigidly connected to a brakedrum t, within which is maintained anddriven by screws the head of a Oardan joint 11., provided with a forkwithin which fits a square 1), constituting the extremity of thetransmission-sha'ft.

The Cardan joint (illustrated more particularly by Figs. 8 to 11,inclusive) is contained in a cup-shaped casingfi (see Figs. 8 and 11,)said casing being fitted upon the periphery of the disk 29, which isformed in one piece with the boss or hub 30 of the pinion S. In-

of the cross-head are similarly journaledon pivot-screws 39 4.0, whichare mounted on the parallel ends of a fork 41, (see Figs. 8 and 10,)

said fork being keyed on the shaft o. The boss 42 of said fork passesand works freely through a central aperture 43, which is provided in therounded shell 44 of the casing 25, so that any rotary motion may betransmitted directly from the boss of the pinion s to the shaft u, evenwhen these two parts are not in alinement with each other.

Parallel with the shaft 01 is arranged another shaft w, Figs. 2, 4, 5,and 6, mounted upon two eccentrics 0c 11 and upon which to tates freelya triple pinion 2, provided with three gears of difierent diameters.

The eccentric y is rigidly connected to a small toothed pinion meshingwith a rack 2, at the extremity of which is a roller 3, maintainedconstantly in contact with the cam m, Fig. 2, by the action of a spiralspring 4, which is exerted upon the other extremity of the rack 2.Another rack 5, Figs. 2 and 5, in

- engagement with teeth formed upon the distributing-shaft 7r, serves totransmit movement to this latter.

Above the pinion z, Fig. 6, is a pinion 6, mounted upon aneccentric-shaft 7, provided at one of its extremities with a crank-pin 8and at the other with an eccentric 9, rigidly connected with agear-wheel 10, Fig. 3, driven by a rack 11, terminating in a roller 12,adapted to travel upon the driving-cam 01, against which it is appliedby a counter-spring 13. This pinion is arranged in such a manner that itmay be placed in engagement simultaneously with the teeth having thesmallest diameter upon the double pinion 2' and with the teeth havingthe largest diameter upon the triple pinion .2.

Around the brake-drum t, Fig. 1, is a castiron segment 14, surrounded bya steel band 15, one of the extremities of which is hinged to the lever16, while the other extremity is hinged to a rod 17, upon which isscrewed an adjusting-screw 18. The lever 16 is actuated by means of arod 19, which is itself operated by a lever 20, rotating loose aroundthe axis 21, upon which is pivoted a lever 22. This latter is providedwith a projecting pin,which in certain positions displaces with it thelever 20, acting upon the brake-band.

A cam 23, Fig. 2, keyed at the extremity of the shaft 21, acts upon ashaft 24, Fig. 4, at the extremity of which is maintained by two screws25 26 a fork 27, to which is thus imparted the movements of the cam 23transmitted to this latter by the lever 22.

The mechanism above described enables the following operations to beeffected.

First Engagement and bra7cing.Assuming that there is exerted upon thelever 22 an effort in the direction of the arrow 28, Fig. 4, this effortis transmitted by the intermediary of the cam 23 to the fork 27, whichis thus displaced and, compressing the spring 6, presses toward theinterior of the fly-wheel b the friction cone 0, which is consequentlyreleased. If this effort upon the lever 22 is continued, it will causethe lever 20 to participate in its movement and by the intermediary ofthe rod 19 will displace the lever 16, which latter exerting tractionupon the rod 17 applies the segment 14 against the drum t, and thusapplies the brake. It is therefore apparent that any movement impartedto the lever 22 results, on the one hand, in disengaging the motor andthe shaft d, which is invariably connected to the cone 0, and, on theother hand, if the effort upon the lever 22 is prolonged the brake iscaused to act upon the drum t, which transmitsits movement to the shafto, invariably connected with this latter, this braking being effectedonly after disengagement of the cone 0.

Second Change 0fspeed.As above stated, the forkj is free to slide uponthe part q,without, however, being able to rotate upon it. It followsfrom this that this part follows exactly by the intermediary of the pin0" the movements of the groove Z, formed upon the shaft is. In Figs. 4and 5 the speed-changing mechanism is represented in the position inwhich none of the gear-wheels and none of the notches are in engagement.If the shaft 7c is rotated through a half-revolution in such a mannerthat the pin r passes from the position 0" to the position W, a lateraldisplacement of the fork j will take place, and the pinion twill becomelocked with the pinion s by the intermediary of the notches forced intheir extremities, the spring provided upon the fork serving only topermit this latter to slide momentarily. The speed-change sleeve, whichis illustrated by dotted lines on Figs. 12 and 13 and plainly shown inlongitudinal section on Fig. 5, consists of two coaxial parts 1 and 45,said part 45 being fitted to slide endwise along the part In the caseWhere the part g has been shifted laterally by the action of thecamgroove on the pin r the clutch projections of the pinion dare notopposite to the corresponding notches of the pinion s. The coiled spring45, which is interposed between the parts q and 45, is compressed andholds the gear't' against the face of the gear 8 until said projectionsand notches after a short rotation register with each other, at whichmoment the spring 46 expands itself suddenly, and thereby causes thegear 1' to operatively engage with the gear s. If instead of impartingto the shaft is a movement in the direction 0- r it is caused to effecthalf a revolution, so that the pin 1" passes from the position '1' tothe position W, the cam would 00' cupy (if the pin 1' were at the pointT the position represented in Fig. 2--that is to say, it would havedisplaced the rack 2, caused the eccentric-shaft w to rotate, and placedthe four pinions s .2 11 Fig. 4, in contact. If the shaft 7:; is causedto rotate through a further half-revolution in the direction from r to 7a lateral displacement of the pinion 3 would be produced, because thecam on would be diametrically opposite to the position which it occupiesin Fig. 2. The eccentricshaft W would then have rotated through half arevolution, thus causing the disengagement of the pinions s .2 a If theshaftk is still further rotated through half a revolution in the samedirection, the fork j is laterally displaced by the thickness of apinion. Owing to this, the pinion t", Fig. 4, will be brought Oppositethe pinion a, but the cam m will return to the position represented inFig. 7, and the four gear-wheels s .2 t" 2 will be in engagement.Another half-revolution given to the shaft is in the same direction willcause the disengagement of the pinions s 2 i z and then the paralleldisplacement of the triple pinion 2' as a whole. Finally, if the shaftis still further rotated in the same direction a fresh lateraldisplacement of the piniont' would be produced, and at this moment thepinion 'i' would occupy the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.The-fork j and the part q in passing from the position which theyoccupied when the pinion t" was opposite the pinion z to the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 will displace the ring 0 in compressingthe spring 10, thereby rigidly connecting the cam "rt and the ring 0,the notches of these parts engaging, and the cam n will participate inthe movement of the shaft 70. In effecting this last quarter-revolutionthe cam nwill assume the position represented in Fig. 3-that is to say,it will have pressed down the rack 11, which displaces the eccentric 9,which latter displaces theshaft 7 laterally. In this'manner the pinion 6is caused to mesh as well with the toothed wheel z, Fig. 4, of thepinion 2 as with the toothed wheel t" of the pinion 2, said toothedwheel 2" being at this moment in the position represented by dottedlines on said Fig. 4. By interposing the gear-wheel 6 between t" and zthe direction of rotation is changedthat is to say, backward travel isproduced. If the shaft is is again rotated, but in the reversedirection, all the operative phases above de-.

scribed will be reproduced, but in inverse order.

The movement of the eccentrically-mounted shafts 7 and to control theintermeshing of the speed-changing gears of my invention, and from thepreceding description it is to be understood that these shafts 7 and 'ware each capable of a bodily-shifting adjustment in a lateral directionor in a direction transverse toits axis in order that the gears on saidshafts may be made to mesh with the high-speed or low-speed gears of thetrain of gearing. By reference to Fig. 7 it is to be noted that theeccentrically-mounted shaft 7 occupies such relation to the other shaftsand gears that the axis of said shaft 7 moves in a path at a tangent tothe periphery of the gears on the shafts d and w, or, in other words,the shaft 7 may be shifted bodily in a path to intersect the plane ofthe gears on the shafts d and w, thus making the gears engageanddisengage by a movement of one part substantially in a path 6 5tangential to the gears on the other part or parts. v

In short, it will be apparent from the foregoing that when thegear-wheels t" and z are connected by means of the pinion 6-hackwardtravel is produced. When the pinion i is connected directly with thepinion z simultaneously with s and z ,the vehicle will travel at its lowspeed. When the gear-wheels s2 21% are in engagement, as represented inFig. 4, the vehicle travelsat its middle or second speed. When thegear-wheel 'i is connected with the gear-wheel s by means of the notchesformed at their extremities, the vehicle trav els at its highest speedby direct driving-+- thatis to say, without there being any gearwheel inengagement. V

It is obvious that by providing the pinion t with three gears ofdifierent diameters instead of two, t" t as in the example given above,and the pinion z with four gears instead of three, 2 2 2 aspeed-changing mechanism might be constructed upon the same principlc,but providing four difierent speeds instead of three and also backwardtravel.

I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself strictly to theprecise constructional details above specified, but may modify the samewithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim-'- 1. In a speed-changing gear for ,motor-vehicles, thecombination with a motor-shaft, of a high-speed gear directly driven bysaid shaft, a low-speed gear consisting of a plu- 10o rality ofgear-wheels caused to engage by lateral shifting movements, and meansfor producing rearward travel.

2. Ina speed-changing gear for. motor-vehicles, the combination with amotor-shaft, 105 of a high-speed gear directly driven by said shaft, alow-speed gear consisting of a series of gear-wheels. caused to engageby lateral shifting movements, and means comprising a single rack and aspur-pinion interposable I10 between said gear wheels and thespeedchanging wheels for producing backward travel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo sub- 1 5 scribing witnesses. 1

LOUIS RENAULT.

Witnesses:

ARMAND PIOARD, EDWARD P. MACLEAN.

